


The Snowball Effect

by ShadowBlazer



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crack Treated Seriously, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2019-08-29 18:46:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16749610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowBlazer/pseuds/ShadowBlazer
Summary: AU - Ruby Rose is a normal university student who worries about her political science studies, her friends, her fake relationship with the Schnee Dust Company heiress, and the White Fang mafia that's hot on her heels due to her fake girlfriend's father. But seriously, these exams?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Halifax](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halifax/gifts).



> I just wanted to write a fake dating AU.

Ruby is normally a happy university girl. She studies political science, walks to her classes everyday, and is currently being stuffed headfirst into a nondescript, black limo by a big man who yanks her off of the sidewalk.

Ruby yelps as she tumbles onto the carpeted floor, bag flopping onto her as she looks up into the cold gaze of a silver-haired woman dressed in a steel gray dress with a white blazer.

“My name is Winter Schnee.” She nods slightly. “I need your help to get my father off of my sister’s back.”

Ruby freezes before peering to the left and right. “Are you part of the White Fang?”

Winter’s expression darkens. Her tone is tight. “What makes you say that?”

“But this is totally what the mafia would do!” Ruby throws up her hands and gestures to the dark windows and moving vehicle. “Eh? Eh?”

Winter stares her down. She leans over and taps on the glass pane that separates her from the driver. “I’ve changed my mind. Slow down, so we can throw her out.”

Ruby peers outside the window, the brick buildings unfamiliar as they pass by an alley filled with a crowd of people. They glance up, and there’s a gleam in their eyes that reminds Ruby of vicious nocturnal animals. “Uh...wait. How about we make a deal? How about you fill me in on whatever you’re talking about until we get back to my campus, and I won’t press attempted kidnapping charges?”

Winter raises an eyebrow, thinking over the suggestion and shrugging. It becomes quickly apparent that Ruby gave herself the raw end of the deal and Winter really needs a therapist as she goes on about how she’s got issues with her dad, and they make her act so stupid. “--got mad at my sister, because she was tired after a full day of ballroom events and he lost a shipment to the White Fang--”

Ruby hums, having brought out her lunch to eat since she isn’t going to classes anytime soon. She munches on a cookie. “So, what does that have to do with me?”

Winter sweeps back her bangs. “This is where you come in as leverage against our father. All I want is more freedom for my sister, and in order to do that, we have to put pressure on our father by utilizing something he abhors.”

“Well, what does he hate?”

“The White Fang and gay people.”

“What? Why?” Ruby blinks. “The White Fang I get, because they keep raiding your factories and trains but gay people?”

“He’s old-fashioned.” Winter shrugs. “He believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman with a lot of money.” She leans forward, elbows on her thighs. “This is where you come in. By pretending to be my sister’s girlfriend at our next soiree, we’ll be able to apply public pressure on our father at an event where he can’t risk exposing his viewpoints without alienating some of his shareholders. He’ll back off and leave Weiss alone to deal with the media outburst, and I’ll have time to come up with a permanent solution to Father’s rigidness.”

Ruby points to herself. “Wait. Why me?” She accidentally spews crumbs over Winter’s leather boots when she forgets that she had food in her mouth. “Oops, sorry.”

“Trust me, Miss...what is your name?”

“Ruby Rose.”

“Miss Rose.” Winter eyes the crumbs on Ruby’s mouth and her rumpled red hoodie, the awkward shaggy haircut Ruby tried to give herself to save money as a student. “You are an excellent candidate to carry forth our mission to agitate our father. If you choose not to help us, we can let you out right now. If you do choose to assist us,” Winter leans back, smirking, “well, have you ever wanted to own the new Relic X?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s the new electric hybrid car that Atlas released with one of the highest ratings in safety--” Winter sighs when she spots Ruby’s expression. “It’s a car that hovers. And has a built-in oven that bakes cookies.”

“Yes! HOVERCAR!” Ruby pauses. “I mean, I would love to help out the LGBT community and your wonderful sister, whom I’ve not met but assume is perfectly kind and agreeable.”

Winter raises an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to know what my sister looks like? Or is like?”

Ruby waves her off. “It’s a fake relationship. I just need to show up and smile and then CAR COOKIES.”

Winter sighs, “I’ll have my driver pick you up at your address next Thursday in the afternoon, so we can prepare for the party.” She glances out the window where a long stretch of trees blurs past them. “We are heading in the direction of Beacon University, which is where I assume you study. We’ll be in contact soon.”

This is totally the mafia. Ruby wisely keeps her mouth shut. She exchanges contacts with Winter, who promptly boots her out the car once the dark walls of her student union building pops into view. Ruby straightens out her hoodie and sweeps back her hair as she walks down to the diner on campus, phone already in her hand. There’s someone she needs to talk to.

—

Ruby taps her fingers nervously along the table as she waited for her sister to join her in their favourite diner, a glass of strawberry milkshake half-drunk in front of her. The restaurant is narrow with 50’s-styled decor including a counter and round stools, bright pink and blue wallpaper, and milkshakes so sweet that Yang swore she got a cavity from looking at the menu pictures. Near the entrance are two huge cork boards that listed the people who attempted the eating challenge that included devouring a massive $30 burger in half an hour. At the top of one board are the words “Wall of Fame” emblazoned on a white banner. On the other, which has three times as many pictures, is the Wall of Shame and includes at least half a dozen photos of Ruby’s sister--blonde hair mussed as she helplessly holds her stomach while a colossal, half-eaten burger lies on her plate. She keeps trying, which is what Ruby can credit.

The door to the diner bangs open, and a mess of blonde curls swoops in as Yang turns on one heel and strides down to Ruby. Yang never walks. She bounces, she skips, she runs and dashes, storms and rushes to places, but actually slowing down to walk somewhere? That was for chumps.

Yang flies into the booth, all toothy smile and tangled-up orange scarf. “Hey, Rubes! How’s it going?” She inches over when the unimpressed, middle-aged waitress slaps down two plastic glasses of water before stalking away. Yang picks up a glass and drains it before reaching for Ruby’s. “Sorry, ran here. You know how thirsty I get.”

Ruby grins weakly. “Speaking of thirsty, you remember how you told me I should start dating soon?” She rubs the back of her neck. “I might be...helpingtotickofftheScheeDustCompanypresidentbydatinghisdaughter.”

Yang spits out her drink. “You’re what?”

Ruby fiddles with her fingers and mumbles, “Fake dating the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.” She gulps down her shame. “Say, aren’t these milkshakes swell?”

“Don’t say that. You sound like Dad.” Yang rubs her temples. “Back up. You’re fake dating a Schnee? They’re, like, an unethical corporation run by a creepy old guy with a weird hate-boner for Faunus. And people like me.”

“Yeah but they have their own baker who makes their cookies and cakes, or so Winter said—“

“Winter? As in Winter Schnee, the current CEO of the company? Ruby.” Yang leans forward, staring at her sister with her palms flat on the table. “What the fuck?”

Ruby squirms back and covers her head. “I knew you were going to react like this.” She peeks up through her fingers. “In my defence, I’m helping to change Jack Schnee’s attitude towards the LGBT community?”

Yang snorts, crossing her arms. “Ruby, I don’t know what’s going on, but any Schnee is going to use you to--” Her gaze drifts away as a dark-haired girl with golden eyes walks by their window. The girl glances over briefly before quickening her steps, and Ruby can see Yang’s breath catching. “Hold that thought.”

Yang bolts out of her seat and out the diner while Ruby tries to snatch at her coat. “Wait! Come back! Don’t be a useless--” Ruby sighs. She waits ten minutes and when Yang doesn’t return, she finishes her milkshake and exits the dinner. Her sister did always lose a few brain cells when it came to pretty women, including her ex-girlfriend who ran away with some kind of monkey boy.

Ruby glances at her phone where she spots several emails from Winter with the word “CLASSIFIED” in the subject. Her stomach twists, and some instinct tells her that this might, MIGHT go absolutely horribly wrong.

But Ruby’s a big girl. She can manage her own fake relationship for one night and come out unscathed, right?

Right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby visits the Schnee manor and crash their soiree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not abandoned! Also, not dead :)

Ruby swear someone is following her. She dashes to the end of a block before glancing back and catching a glimpse of someone in a white mask dive into a bush. She hurries to her anthropology class, ducking into a seat at the front besides her friend Velvet. “Have you noticed anything weird lately?”

Velvet turns her head and twitches her ears. “Yeah, people are whispering about how Faunus in white masks are asking them about ‘Rudy Ruse.’”

Ruby buries her face into her arms, mumbling about her stalkers could at least get her name right. “What do they want with Rudy?”

Velvet tilts her head. “Something about a Schnee soirée.” She looks over at Ruby. “Do you—“

The professor lumbers in, smiling. When he sees the people huddled against the back walls, he frowns. “Now, see here! I don’t mind a few drop-ins, but if you are going to enjoy my class, you will sit here at the front where you can get the best learning.” He jabs at a line of empty rows to Ruby’s left. 

The figures at the back hesitate before making their way down to the mentioned seats, hoods pulled low over their faces. Ruby catches a side glance of one girl with long, black hair and lumps underneath her hood that resembles shortish ears. She looks awfully familiar. 

Ruby doesn’t get a chance to study them further as the professor launches into a rapid fire presentation regarding the aboriginal people of Mistral. She later finds a text from Yang apologizing for running off and stating that she thought she saw someone she used to know. Ruby sighs and sends back a reply, forgiving her for the fourteenth time.

Velvet darts off after class to run to her part-time job while Ruby’s left to go over the dossiers about Weiss Schnee. Several of the weird hooded people go to shake the hand of the professor and ask whether it’s too late to enrol in his class. Ruby casts her gaze for the the masked figure that felt familiar, but she slips away like a shrinking shadow through a door in the back. 

Ruby sends a flurry of texts to Yang and leaves the building in the middle of a big crowd, glancing nervously around her. She quickly catches the bus home and holes up in her room with a golf club by her side, peering out the windows every so often. When she’s sure no one is around, she huddles on her bed with her blanket wrapped around her and her laptop in front. She checks her phone and sees an essay-long text from Yang why this is all a bad idea. Again. It would be more persuasive if her sister didn’t use so many funny emojis. 

She boots up her laptop and researches the Schnees like any fine, educated student at her expensive university--through Google. She scans article after article that range from glowing with praise at their dust technological advancements to condemnation of their workers’ conditions. More often than not, she’ll run into gossip pieces about the family’s early life from whispers of Winter’s alienating attitude in the dust industry to tales of alcoholism running through the family.

Ruby closes all of her tabs, feeling as if she’s just peeked behind the curtain of someone changing and saw something she wasn’t supposed to see. She should text Winter to confirm these rumours or even Yang to talk about them. She glances at her phone instead and groans at Nora’s proclamation of Oobleck’s 100 additional pages she has to read by next history class tomorrow. Exiting the webpage, she decides that homework is a priority; researching the Schnees would have to be a problem for next week Ruby.

—

Next week Ruby officially hates last week Ruby as a well-dressed man with a moustache shows up at her door. “Miss Rose, I presume.” He inclines his head. “My name is Klein. I’m here to pick you up for Miss Weiss.”

Crap.

Ruby tosses on a sweater and her red coat, and rushes out the door with Klein, who kindly fixes her zipper when Ruby somehow manages to jam it. They make their way downstairs after she leaves a scribbled note for Yang, and Ruby steps out to see a sleek black sedan parked in the street in front of them. “No limo?”

“Miss Winter advised not to draw more attention than necessary.” Klein opens the door for her and gently ushers her in. “We want your presence to be a surprise after all.”

The drive is long and boring. Klein gives her a sidelong look when Ruby reaches to change the radio from classical music, and the student stops her hand with a pout. “So, what should I be expecting?”

Klein hums. “In all honesty?”

“Yeah.”

“Three hours of make-up and dressing for one hour of socializing and tiny, painful shoes.”

Ruby later finds out that Klein is not kidding. 

They drive for ten minutes along a national park of some sort with how many trees are stuffed inside the iron gates that line the area. Ruby rolls down the window and stands up out of it to assess how far the street goes for. “How big is this park? Sheesh!”

“That’s no park, Miss.” Klein taps his fingers on the steering wheel. “That’s the right side of the Schnee family property.”

Ruby opens her mouth before promptly closing it and sitting back down. She’s silent for the rest of the ride. Or the next few minutes. She pitches out of her thoughts when she realizes that Klein is describing the property.

“...the water park in the back is quite nice in the summer...”

“Seriously?” Ruby groans and runs a hand through her hair. She’s on a whole another level of being in over her head. 

“Yes, though with the season still being too warm, the ski slopes are still closed though they have a wonderful little lodge where the staff are kept on for 24/7 for a cup of hot cocoa—“

Ruby peeks up at him. “Okay, I don’t know if you’re joking or not.” 

“Oh, Miss Rose. Would I ever do that?” Klein turns his head and slows the car. He rolls down the window as they pass a metal post, and he presses his ring to it. The iron gates to the left of them slide open as Klein smoothly turns into the opening, still hidden by a tangle of branches. “Almost missed the turn into the secret Schnee cave.”

"What? Do you have a Schnee signal too?" Ruby throws her hands up. “You’re just messing with me!”

Klein doesn’t respond, though she swears his moustache twitches like he’s hiding a smile.

They drive through a quiet lane lined with trees whose bright leaves litter the ground in orange and red patches. After a few minutes, a huge white building appears in the distance, and Klein makes his way to a side entrance discreetly where a familiar figure stands at attention, her strict and upright posture a hallmark of her personality.

Winter Schnee approaches the passenger side door as the car stops. She’s dressed in a fine white coat with dark blue pants tucked into black leather boots. Ruby wonders if she would be happier in the military than as a CEO. “Welcome, Miss Rose.”

She helps Ruby out to the car, nods to Klein, and turns to walk quickly up to a large oak door. Ruby runs after her, trying to match her longer strides. The inside of the house of huge with vaulting ceilings, white walls, and smooth floor with blue patterns, and Ruby feels like she's walking through an abandoned museum. It looks huge and cavernous. It looks lonely.

Winter walks at a rapid pace, her steps precise and measured. “Did you read the files I sent you on my sister?”

Ruby nods. “Weiss is majoring in business at Beacon University, and likes ice skating and productive questions.” What the heck is a productive question? “Her favourite season is winter, her favourite colour is baby blue, and her favourite ice cream flavour is blueberry frozen yogurt.” Ruby has no idea why Winter thought that would be helpful to know. 

Winter nods. She stops before a tall door with a curved frame. She hesitates. “Do note that Weiss can be...single-minded, so she may take a while to warm up to you.”

Ruby doesn’t get a chance to ask what she means before Winter pushes open the door and steps through. Ruby spots a girl turning around, her eyes narrowing as she steps towards them in a dress of grey and blue.

Weiss Schnee is a miniature replica of Winter with a side ponytail of fine, white-blonde hair, a scowl, and a badass scar across her left eye that Ruby almost asks about if not for Winter’s sharp look. “What kept you?”

“We were making sure that Miss Rose here is presentable for tonight.” She pushes Ruby forward. “She has been very cooperative.”

Ruby clears her throat. “Hi.”

Weiss glances her over dismissively. “Hi.” She turns to Winter. “You are certain that this plan will get Father to give me some breathing space?”

Winter shrugs. “Or bring the wrath of Father on our heads.”

Weiss smiles—a tiny, vicious thing. “Good. I don’t remember that the last time I actually saw him fight.” She turns to Ruby, lip curling slightly, and Ruby bites back a remake about how her face might freeze like that. “You need a haircut.”

“Hey, I do my own!” Admittedly, Ruby never tried cutting straight across the back, because she’s afraid she might cry at the results. “It's great!”

“It looks like you attacked your head with scissors blindly,” Weiss sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. She’s not wrong. “I’ll get my maids to pick something out for you and redo your hair. And give you a bath.”

“HEY—“

Weiss snaps her fingers, and a squad of maids in black dresses storm out of the side doors and carry off a startled Ruby. She’s taken to a room where their professional hairdresser is waiting, who takes one look at Ruby’s hair and cries. Ruby only feels mildly offended as the woman takes a clip to her ragged strands and runs so much styling cream and wax through her hair that it stiffens.

“There is nothing we can do to salvage what you had,” the woman says. She smooths back Ruby’s now shoulder-length strands. “But there is much we can do to make you shine.” She passes Ruby off to the next maid before she can check the back of her new haircut.

In a spare room filled with dresses hanging from steel rods, Ruby’s pulled into a white dress with a red velvet corset and a checkered pattern down the back in a stream of red and white. The maid slaps so much makeup on her—foundation, concealer, and 35 other things Ruby finds out when she makes the mistake of asking—that she practically had to apply it with a trowel.

Once she’s done, Ruby runs away as fast as her heels would let her, which is to say up a hall and around a corridor before stopping short of the room where she’s been told by a scowling maid that she's supposed to meet the others.

Ruby stops and hunches by the wall, gasping as the door opens. Weiss pauses in the doorway, wearing a dress of white and light blue that falls from shoulder to heels. Her eyes look over. She pauses, gaze sweeping over Ruby’s bare shoulders and down her figure.

“Weiss?” Ruby ventures when the silence gets long.

Weiss blinks and looks away. “Not bad,” she mumbles. She turns around. “Get ready to leave. Winter is coming.”

Entering the grand ball room feels more like kicking open the doors to a war room to Ruby, who notices the sharp gazes and smirks from the people below her as she descends the stairs. She skitters closer to Weiss, who takes her arm.

“Don’t be so obvious,” Weiss mutters, waving to someone on Ruby’s other side. “People here will eat you alive if you keep showing your emotions.” She pauses. “Except for being in love with me.”

“Fake being in love with you, right?” Ruby grins awkwardly and waves to a confused server with canapés in the back.

Weiss glances away. “Right.”

They reach the floor, and, immediately, they’re swamped by crowds of bright-eyed ladies and handsome, smirking men with so much pomade in their hair, they need a flammable warning. Weiss shifts her arm to curl around Ruby's waist. She whispers, “Look like you’re infatuated.”

How? Ruby was never good at the dating game, having been dumped by a guy in high school after three days, because she didn’t know she was in a relationship. She thought they were just friends!

She ends up leaning on Weiss and batting her eyelashes awkwardly while Weiss’ eye twitches. Eye twitching means happy, yes?

Weiss mutters under her breath and lets go of Ruby, pushing her towards a table laden with hor d'oeuvres. Ruby glances back to see the white-haired girl turn her crowd and answer them curtly, back straight and shoulders square like a smaller version of Winter.

Ruby makes her way to silver platters set along a table in the back. She spots tiny puff pastries, tiny green tomatoes with whipped cheese on them, Brussel sprouts with some kind of ham wrapped around them, and fried artichokes. Grabbing a handful of the puff pastries, she turns and spots familiar rabbit ears waving above the crowd as Velvet and a woman wearing a beret and sunglasses carve their way to her. 

The women reach her as Ruby pops a pastry into her mouth. Velvet smiles while the other woman takes off her sunglasses to survey Ruby with eyes the colour of mocha. Mmmm, mocha. 

“Ruby Rose.” She holds out her hand. “My name is Coco Adel. My assistant Velvet tells me you’re a friend of hers.” 

Ruby nods and takes her hand, looking up. Coco is at least a head taller. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m here to cover the Schnee dinner welcoming General Ironwood of Atlas Enterprises in the hopes of a new business partnership.” Coco crosses her arms and taps her fingers along her biceps. “Yawn central.”

“What Coco means is that she’s hoping for a more exciting story,” Velvet supplies. “Which is why she brought me.” She lifts up her camera.

Coco smiles. “Let’s just say I have an instinct for when events turn interesting and—“ She winks at Ruby before sliding her sunglasses back on. “—for finding interesting people.” She glances to the side and reaches out to touch someone’s shoulder who looks at her. His companion, a girl with orange, curly hair, peers curiously at Ruby. “By the way, have you met the guests of honour, General Ironwood and his daughter Penny?”

The man turns, stern and humourless with a sharp jaw and dark hair neatly styled. He looks like the type of man who belongs on the movie screen as an action hero. “No. I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.” He takes Ruby’s hand firmly. “James Ironwood of AtlasTech. And this is my daughter, Penny.” He gestures to the girl beside him.

Penny steps forward, bright smile on her face. “Hi, It’s a pleasure to meet you!” She shakes Ruby’s hand with both of her own, and Ruby grins and shakes back. “I saw you on the staircase, and I thought your dress was beautiful.” She gazes at the material, and her face falters. “I don’t think I could pull off something like that,” she says quietly with a pained expression.

Ruby’s empathy instincts kick in. “That’s ridiculous, Penny. You’re a pretty girl! You’ll pull it off way better than me!”

Penny looks up, a faint pink on her cheeks. “You really think so?”

“Yeah, of course! I’d give you this dress right now if I could.” Ruby really would. Is it gauche to attend a dinner nude?

“No, not that. I mean...what you said about me being a pretty girl.”

Ruby tilts her head, frowning. “Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”

Penny exchanges looks with Ironwood who gives her a small smile and incline of his head. He excuses himself as Penny turns back and clasps Ruby’s wrists excitedly. “Oh, Ruby! We’re going to be such good friends. I’ve never met someone as friendly as you before. We can talk about pretty dresses and cute boys—“

“—I certainly hope she’s not talking about cute boys.” 

Ruby feels an arm slip around her waist and pull her. She stumbles and glances over to see Weiss glaring at a startled Penny.

Weiss shifts closer to Ruby. “At least, not while she’s dating me.”

Penny’s eyes flicker between Weiss and Ruby. “Oh. That would explain the staircase thing.”

Coco breaks in like a hound on a scent. “Can you confirm that once again that you two are dating?” She grins. “Rumours has it that you were rejecting all of your father’s suggested suitors because of your dedication to your studies.” She tilts down her glasses. “One of which is apparently named Ruby Rose.”

“You’ll hear more about it tonight.” Weiss steers her away at a brisk pace while Ruby awkwardly waves goodbye as she’s dragged backwards towards a room on the side.

Weiss lowers her voice. “Dinner is about to be served, so do not say anything that implies we’re not dating.” She glances back at the group they left and frowns. “Who was that talking to you?”

“Penny Ironwood from AtlasTech.”

Weiss raises her eyebrows. “The General has a daughter? I thought he had a so—“ She cuts herself off. “No matter. We’re here.”

A huge amount of long tables litter the floor. Weiss steers her to one at the front of the room, stretching at least 50 people down for one side. She seats them to the left of the centre.

Penny waves from further down the table while Ironwood gives her a nod. Velvet and Coco smile at her not too far away, and at the centre of the table, Winter sits besides a man with a pale moustache in an expensive white suit. Besides them is a boy in his late teens that looks as trustworthy as Yang is straight. They all look an awful lot alike.

Weiss mutters, “That’s my father and my brother.”

Ruby pauses. “But why are you sitting all the way out here?”

Weiss doesn’t get to answer when the Schnee president stands up, smiling almost too widely. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the pleasure of your company in celebration of the Ironwoods’ visit to our humble abode, though there are many far humbler.” He chuckles, and several people awkwardly laugh with him. “Even though I am officially retired as very strongly noted by my Executive Board, I truly am ecstatic to help steer our company’s route towards an efficient partnership that will cast the Schnee name to the stars.” He pauses. “Oh, and also wholesome, family values.”

He gestures to the waiting servers along the side of the room, white plates with wafting steam balanced on their arms. “Let us begin.”

And by begin, he means he gets served first while Ruby spends ten minutes waiting for the food to make it down her side of the table. She sighs in relief when a soup bowl of a creamy yellow concoction comes down in front of her.

Ruby looks at the butternut squash soup and examines the two spoons on her right side, the two knives that accompanied them, the forks to the left of her plate, the tiny spoon and fork set in front of it, and the three wine glasses standing just to the right. She tentatively picks up the spoon closest to the bowl on her right, and a woman a few seats away throws down her napkin in disgust and glares at Ruby. 

The woman mutters about the nerve of youth while Ruby almost drops her spoon and looks over at Weiss who avoids eye contact. She turns to Winter who merely nods and plucks the spoon on the far outside from her plate. Huh. 

Ruby wavers, spoon hovering above the creamy soup before she gives in and takes a sip. Her eyes roll back into her head, and she moans slightly.

Weiss kicks her under the table, not looking at her. Her cheeks flush slightly. Ruby swallows and proceeds to moan more quietly. 

The soup is accompanied by a decadent French onion soup with thick slabs of melted cheese coating the sides of bowl; a salad with fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil; a plate of mashed potatoes with garlic and herbs as well as a medium-rare steak that melts like butter in Ruby’s mouth; and a crème brûlée as one of the desserts. Ruby stifles her moaning as best as she could, though the tips of Weiss’ ears turn red and the women down the table look offended while some of the men awkwardly ignored her. Winter covers her mouth, and Ruby swears she sees her smiling.

Jacques looks over, frowning at her noises while Winter draws his attention back to the conversation with James Ironwood across from him.

Ironwood twirls his wine glass, his expression unreadable. “I heard that you have had some run-ins with the White Fang. I hope all that is taken care of.”

Jacque smiles. “The White Fang is a minor convenience, what with their unrealistic demands of handing over Schnee property to the Faunus and—“ His upper lip curls up. “—tolerating those of...deviant persuasion.”

“What?” Ruby pipes up through a mouthful of after-dessert coffee. She doesn’t normally drink it, but it was free. “What’s a deviant persuasion?”

Ironwood, Jacques, and half the table glance at her. Winter looks carefully disinterested while Weiss’ brother perks like a bloodhound on a scent. What was his name? Ruby looked this up. Oh, right. Whitey. Whitey and Winter are looking this way. 

Jacques sneers and looks away, opening his mouth to continue the conversation when Ironwood answers, glancing at her. “It is used in some circles to refer to non-heterosexual people.”

“What? It’s such a derivative term! What old-fashioned nut job from the 18th century still believes that?”

Jacques clears his throat, circles of red on his cheeks. “Those of exceedingly high moral character such as I—“ Half the table avoids eye contact with him. “—have always maintained that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that these poor confused souls need to be re-educated into the proper order of things.”

Ruby notices Weiss tightening her grip around the stem of her wine glass. “One, your logic is problematic, because there’s a false premise that you are a better judges of their lives than they are when you literally have no information onthem. Two, the state of marriage has always been changing from polygamy back in olden Mistral to blended families in Vacuo—“

Jacques wave her words off. “All I’m hearing is a waste of my time.”

“It’s called political science! Trying reading a textbook!” Ruby jumps to her feet, and Weiss yanks her straight back down. “Also, the term we use in the 21st century is LGBT.”

Jacques twists his mouth in distaste. “Let me tell you what I think about people like that. Gays and lesbians need to quarantined so they don’t affect the rest of us. Bisexuality is a myth, and—“ He sneers. —men should be men, not pretending to be women.” 

Penny stares down at her plate, tears in her eyes and fork clenched tightly in her fist. Jacque continues, “It’s pitiful how delusional these people are. Dressing up in high fashion and painting themselves with makeup—what is the use? They will always look like men. They are men.”

A man with wild hair and round glasses on the far left of table clears his throat. “Perhaps, this isn’t the best place to discuss this—“

“Why not? If not here, then why? When else are we going to talk about why these people deliberately do these things to themselves.” 

Penny jumps up. “Father, I’m sorry, but may I be excused. I feel unwell.”

Ironwood nods, his face troubled as Penny rushes past him.

Jacques leans back. “Young people these day. Can’t seem to handle honest conversation.”

Ruby glances between the direction where Penny fled to, and something clicks in her head like a puzzle coming together. “It’s not the ‘honesty’. It’s you.”

Jacques frowns. His eyebrows narrow together. “Excuse me? Who is this girl?”

Ruby jolts up and points her finger dramatically at the Schnee head. “Ruby Rose, and it doesn’t matter about me because you just said a bunch of hateful and untrue things about LGBT people, Jack!”

“It’s Jacques.”

“Yeah, Jack. I get it!” Ruby clears her throat, recalling all the rants Yang threw at her at how people treated her. “You may be the richest man here, but you’re not rich in spirit or kindness!” Yeah, that’ll show him, Ruby!

Jacques looks bored. “And?”

“W-well, It’s mean!” Ruby falters

Jacques almost looks proud. “Thank you. I pride myself on my rigid stance on truth, no matter how upsetting it may be to those of lesser constitution.” He sighs and places a hand on his chest. “Oh, the burden it can be.”

Ruby sputters. Her class on rhetoric did not prepare her for a debate with someone who lives in their own world. “Seriously? You think being cold and uncompassionate to others is an example of being truthful. What if your own daughter was gay?” Ruby points to Weiss beside her and has exactly two seconds to think about what she’s done as every occupant in the room cranes their head to stare at Weiss. Oops. “I mean—“

“You mean you don’t already know?” A corner of Jacques’ mouth lifts up. 

“Know what—“

Weiss jumps to her feet. “Father, this is the love of my life,” Weiss declares, grabbing Ruby’s hand. Ruby heard her own knuckles grind together. “And your attitude can’t stop us from being in love.”

Jacques glances over Ruby. “Really?”

Ruby frowns. “What?”

Jacques ignores her. “How long are you going to play this game, Weiss? Is that another one of your tantrums to get my attention? You’re the heir of Schnee Dust Company. Act like it.”

“I am.” Weiss’ fists are clenched. Ruby frantically tries to tug her hand away. “Why don’t you act like who you are? A retired old man with a social attitude four decades outdated?”

Ruby glances around and sees every head in the room turned towards them, captivated by the shouting even as Jacques preen under the attention. If she wasn’t caught in the middle of the tension, she’d probably say the family could have their own television drama, and she’d be their biggest fan from sheer entertainment.

Weiss glares at her father, and Ruby sees her trembling slightly. Despite her better judgment, she slips her hand back into Weiss’. The other girl glances sidelong at her. Weiss says, “Your mindset is dying out, Father. I only wish you could present yourself better towards the queer community.”

Jacques sneers, “Homosexuals and transexxuals are—“

General Ironwood idly twirls his glass. “My daughter is transgender.” He casually takes a sips and shrugs. “Don’t think I mentioned it before.”

“—wonderful customers of the Schnee Dust Company.” Jacques smiles widely at Ironwood. “And they are always welcomed to partner with our business.”

Ironwood snorts. He stands. “Mr. Schnee, you have the most sophisticated dust extraction and refinement processes I have ever seen. If only your table manners and character were as polished as your operations.”

Ironwood leaves the table and out a side exit while Jacques gapes slightly after him. A hush spreads throughout the room. In seconds, murmurs begin, climbing into chatter as reporters rush forward towards him shouting questions, microphones and recorders at the ready. Ruby sees Coco elbow three out of her way when she feels a tug at her hand, and she glances back to see Weiss glaring at her.

Weiss grabs her by the arm and yanks her over to the side of the room in the mayhem, reporters and concerned bootlickers rushing to Jacque with Coco switching to smacking people out of her way with her handbag.

Winter waits at a side door and quickly closes it when the pair clears the threshold. She strides ahead, her steps a rapid staccato along a thin, twisting hallway. “Good job, Ruby.”

Ruby drops her jaw. “All I did was pick a fight.”

“And what a spectacular one it was. I have never seen someone so gifted at creating chaos wherever they go.” Winter turns a sharp corner as Ruby nearly skids past, trying to keep pace. “You upheld your end of the bargain, and I will fulfill mine. You can expect a custom-made car within a few weeks if I can help it, and you will never see us again.”

Weiss glances away. “The end result was satisfactory. I wonder what Father will say to the media.” She pauses as if to say something else. She doesn’t.

Eventually, they reach a black door with an arch. Winter opens it and lets Ruby out into the autumn air, the trees of the Schnee estate popping into view. In front of her waits the black car that drove her here with Klein sitting at the wheel, exhaust wafting gently into the air.

Winter nods briefly. "Goodbye, Ruby. Thank you for your help."

Weiss doesn't say anything.

Ruby climbs into the waiting sedan and glances back at the house. Winter turns around and strides back down the hall, but Weiss stays in the doorway, her shape outlined from the bright lights inside. She peers at them for a long moment before shutting the door, and Klein pulls away while Ruby watches the house shrink into the distance. 

She wonders if she'll see her again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weiss visits her home. Why?!

Weiss shows up at her apartment the next day. Ruby finds her scowling at the orange shag carpet in the hallway.

“Wha?” Ruby rubs at her eyes and peers at the figure in shades of baby blue and white. “What are you doing here so early?”

“...it’s 10 am.”

“Ew.” Ruby leans against the doorframe while Weiss shifts from foot to foot. “Did your dad kick you out?”

“Can we discuss this inside?”

Weiss eyes the apartment and steps over the threshold like she's trying to avoid a pool of vomit. Her nose wrinkles at the pile of dishes in the sink, the old microwave that still has a manual dial, a worn couch pushed into a corner along with the TV, a scratched antique tea table, and Ruby's potted cactus. She stares at the brown stain on the ceiling that Yang never fully explained and eyes the floor as if expecting to walk into something she'd regret. Ruby shows her around the open floor, all 400 square feet of her kitchen, dining room, and living room compressed into one.

When they reach the cramped living room, Weiss examines the seat Ruby brings her before taking out a tiny brush out of her coat and cleaning the cushion. She then pulls a handkerchief out of her coat pocket and places it on the seat before primly sitting down.

Weiss stiffens as Ruby plops down on her couch. Ruby frowns. “What’s wrong?”

Weiss glances away. Her voice is tight. “Could you put on a shirt?”

Ruby glances down to her black tank top. “I did?”

“A different one. Please.” Weiss stares at Ruby’s cactus like it’s the most fascinating thing in the world. There’s a flush on her cheeks.

Ruby shrugs and heads to her bedroom to pull on a hoodie. When she flops back on her couch, Weiss looks relieved. “Okay, so what are you doing here?”

Weiss clears her throat. She tugs at her scarf. “Upon reflecting on the situation yesterday, I realized that it would be best to keep our current arrangement until we can monitor and confirm Father’s reaction to everything. Especially when his media response is scheduled to come any time now.”

“Okaaay...so, you just wanted to chill until you see what your dad says?”

Weiss nods, and Ruby runs a hand through her hair. When Weiss looks troubled, Ruby smiles. “Well, if you’re going to be my guest, let me get you something to drink.”

Weiss only drinks straight teas — black or green with none of the fun flavours that Ruby loves like rocket chocolate monkey. She stares in horror at the murky tea in Ruby’s cup while Ruby slowly drinks from it, maintaining eye contact all the while.

Weiss clears her throat. ”We should get to know each other.”

Ruby arches an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because.” Weiss scowls, looking strained. 

“Because you said so?”

“Because we should!” Weiss throws her hands up. “What kind of fake girlfriends don’t know anything about each other?”

The fake kind?

Ruby puts down her chocolate rocket monkey. “Weiss, what is this about?”

Weiss grits her teeth and stares out the window, jaw tense. “It’s time. Can you switch on the TV to whatever regular news channel you use?”

Ruby gets her news from the front page of Reddit, but she obliges her guest. 

On her TV, Jacque Schnee looks out into the camera, perfect brows smoothing out as he gives a practiced smile. He stands behind a podium in front of their famous Schnee Dust Headquarters—known for its futuristic design and tighter security than Beacon University, though that’s not saying much.

A reporter cuts in, “What do you think of your daughter’s partner?”

For a moment, a corner of Jacque’s mouth twitches before he smiles. “While it is true that Miss—“ He quickly glances down at the podium, probably where his cue cards are. “—Rookie Toes and I have not had the best start, I do look forward to getting to know as a prospective addition to our family.”

ROOKIE TOES???

“Regardless of how this all came about, I'm here to announce that in light of yesterday's events, the Schnee Dust Company is proud to be a leading progressive player in our industry. We are also the first company to not only include a zero-tolerance discrimination policy but also a complimentary fruit basket for those just coming out of the closet, or so the phrase goes.”

The reporters cheer and clap as Weiss throws her drink at the TV. “He’s lying! He’s just using this as a publicity stunt! Ugh!”

Ruby shines away from her drink-throwing companion. “On the bright side, we encouraged your company to be more open towards LGBT workers, and his face turned an awesome colour when he saw us.” She reaches out to lay a reassuring hand on a seething Weiss but thinks better of it. “I mean, we put on a great act yesterday, pretending to be gay.”

Weiss glares. “No, I am an actual homosexual. I thought you understood that.”

Oh.

“Of course, I knew. It was so obvious! Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” Ruby waves her arms desperately. “I mean, my sister’s queer, and she’s always on the lookout for her hot ex-girlfriend—“

Weiss pulls out her phone and dials someone. She speaks into it. “Winter, have you seen the news?”

Which is how the Schnee sisters end up cramped in Ruby’s tiny apartment while Zwei circles around the couch, excited for the possible attention.

Winter swats him on the nose. “Father did not explode.” She tents and peers over her fingers. “We need to increase the pressure to get him to slip up and expose his real beliefs.”

Weiss nods. “What are you suggesting?”

Winter glances at Ruby. “You need to propose to Weiss. Publicly.”

“What? No!” Ruby slams her hand on the table. “I'm not getting married to a stranger! I don't want all that weird attention on me."

Winter studies her. “Are you saying that being anonymous is more important to you than making progressive headway for people like our sisters?”

“Well, no, but—that’s a false dichotomy, because—“ 

Winter waves her off. “Ruby, you have a chance to impact how the Schnee Dust Company treats its workers. Knowing the leverage it has not only in the dust mining industry but all things dust-related, are you saying that you would willingly give up a chance to change society for the oppressed for the better? If yes, I guess your political science studies were all talk.”

Ouch.

“You say all that, but that doesn’t change the fact that I did my part!” Ruby folds her arms. "And where's my car?"

"It's being made." Winter leans back and closes her eyes. When she opens them, she nods once. “Move in with us.”

"...that makes no sense." Ruby exchanges glances with a stunned Weiss.

“I’m serious. You may be in much danger if the--" Winter's lip curls, "--White Fang knows your connection to us. There’s hardly any other residence in Vale that’s better protected than ours. We have constant guards, motion sensor equipment, a hotline to the hospitals and the police, and the walls are designed to withstand earthquakes and fires. And also, this will really anger our father.”

As much as Ruby is looking forward to living in Fort Schnee...no. “I have a life here.” She gestures to her apartment with its fuzzy TV and worn and scratched furniture. “Uh...it may be not much of a life.”

Weiss leans forward. “What is your problem? We are trying to make our company better, and you’re making excuses to not move forward!” She sits and inhales sharply. “Am I not pretty enough?” Her lower lip wobbles.

“What? NO. You’re like the prettiest fake girlfriend ever!” Ruby snatches at her hair as Weiss sniffles and Winter hands her a handkerchief with a sympathetic look. “I mean, for a girl I only met twice, you’re swell! I couldn’t hope to meet a person as uh...productive and authoritative as you!”

Weiss looks away, dabbing at her eyes. She sniffs. “Oh, Ruby. Do you mean that? Are you going to move in then and fake propose to me?”

“I—“ Ruby looks at Winter’s expectant gaze and Weiss’ shining eyes. 

She ends up telling her sister later that night that maybe she said she might...probably...possibly...gotsuckeredintosayingyeswithlivingwiththeSchnees. 

“Traitor!” Yang bangs her fist on Ruby’s scratches counter. “You promised that you wouldn’t let this go too far, and now you’re moving in with a girl you only met twice and leaving me?”

“She cried, Yang! What was I supposed to do?”

“Let her! They were probably crocodile tears!” Yang grabs at her curls, and Ruby yanks down her hands so she doesn’t pull out her own strands. “You don’t even like women, and you’re proposing to one!”

“Hey, it’s not that I don’t like women. It’s just that I don’t like anyone!”

Yang snorts. “Maybe Weiss Schnee will change your mind.” She stalks over to Ruby’s windows and yanks the curtains close, scowling. “I mean, you’ve never had a girlfriend and now you’re getting engaged! Really? She’s direct and straightforward with you and hasn’t run off on you with some monkey dude from Dust knows where!”

Ruby’s starting to suspect this isn’t about her. “Yang, do you need to talk about Blake?”

“No.” Yang crosses her arms and tucks her chin down, nearly growling. “Why would I care about what happened to her?”

“Uh...well, you—“ Ruby stops when Yang’s eyes flash red. “—are totally right, and who cares because I’ll probably get fake married next month! Yay...”

Yang spends the rest of the night scolding about her poor taste in marriage candidates, and Ruby ends up yawning through her morning classes. Ruby's addition that the idea is still an idea not calming the blonde's fury. She gets a text halfway through her second class, and a smile spreads across her face at the name. She messages him back and darts out the door once the class ends, heading straight for the benches right outside her building. She hits the sunshine outside and spots him as he waves to her.

A tall, blonde boy with messy hair greets her, standing up from the stone bench. He smiles. “Ruby.”

“Jaune!” Ruby hugs him, grinning. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Jaune rubs his head. “Yeah, sorry. I’ve been busy helping Pyrrha move into her new place on campus. I guess it must have been hard work for her, cause she was always wearing those skin tight shorts that helped her cool off whenever I came over. Oh, and she's always asking if I want to shower, but I never bring a change of clothes. Or asking if I want to stay the night when I'm staying late over. I say no, cause I don't want to interrupt her beauty sleep.”

Ruby nods. Oh, Jaune. So oblivious. ”Anyway, what do you want to get for lunch?”

Jaune’s eyes catch something, and he pushes her shoulder. Ruby glances at him, but he stares out in front of them, mouth slightly open. “What is it?”

Jaune points out to a white figure approaching them. “Who is that goddess?”

Ruby squints at the asymmetrical ponytail, the proper trot, and familiar haughty expression. “Oh, that’s Wei—I mean my girlfriend?”

Jaune snaps back to her. “You have a hot girlfriend?”

Ruby shrugs. “I guess.” 

“Sorry, Ruby. Didn’t mean to check out your girl.” Jaune brushes back his messy hair. He struggles to contain his blush as Weiss nears. “Think she’ll like me?”

Poor Jaune. Barking up the wrong tree.

Weiss stops in front of them. She eyes Jaune briefly before turning her attention to the other girl. “Ruby.”

“Morning, Weiss.” Ruby grins, and the other girl falters as if she hadn’t expected Ruby to smile at her. “Did you just finish class?”

“Yes.” Weiss straightens up. Something flickers across her face, and she hesitates. “Have lunch with me.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m having lunch with Jaune—“ Ruby turns to introduce them just as Jaune launches himself at Weiss, grabbing the startled girl’s hand and pumping it like a lever to a well.

“HI.” Jaune grimaces and clears his throat, lowering his pitch. “Jaune D’Arc. President of the D&D Games Club on campus. You might have heard of me.”

Weiss’ eyebrow twitches. “No.” She shoves him aside. “Ruby, I insist you have lunch with me. We have to...spend time together, so I'm not...” She clears her throat. "So, we know each other."

“But Jaune—“

Jaune butts in. “—is totally pumped for you to have lunch with your really gorgeous girlfriend.” He slaps Ruby on the back, who stumbles into Weiss. Weiss freezes, a faint pink dusting her cheeks before she gently pushes Ruby back. “And we can maybe even get to go lunch together all three of us.”

Weiss scowls. She opens her mouth only for Ruby to slap a hand over it.

Ruby blurts, “We’d love to sometime, Jaune. See you around! And talk to Pyrrha!” She drags Weiss away from a confused Jaune. When they’re out of earshot, she turns to the other girl. “What were you going to say?”

“Over my dead body.”

Ruby nods. “Thought so.” She sighs, “Let’s go to lunch then.”

Weiss gets her driver to take them out beyond campus to a place with white marble, fancy-looking curtains, waiters in black vests and bow-ties, and meals served on a wooden plank for some reason.

Weiss fiddles with her wine glass. It’s one in the afternoon. “Eat.”

Ruby peers over the cedar-baked salmon, lovingly glazed with a brush of maple syrup. “Weiss, is this a bribe for something?”

Weiss looks insulted. “No.”

“Then, why—“

“I am your girlfriend. It would be strange if I did not treat you to things.” Weiss plays with the stem of her wine glass. She doesn’t look at Ruby.

Ruby gazes at Weiss before shrugging. “All right. Thanks, then.”

Weiss gets chicken with kale salad, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, which honestly looks so good, Ruby considers asking her to swap. “How are your classes?” 

"They're good!"

Weiss stares at her. "Chew first."

Ruby swallows. "They're good! I super like anthropology, and sometimes I get it mixed up with other subjects and Nora never lets it go."

Weiss frowns. She tilts her head. "Nora?"

"Yeah, she's like this redhead on perpetual energy drinks and always around Ren! Everyone's betting they're a super secret couple right now."

"...Ruby, I don't know your friends."

"Oh." Ruby sits down, quiet. She jumps back to her feet. "Then, you should meet them."

"No."

"At least meet Yang."

"I don't know who Yang is, but it doesn't sound like we'll get along."

"Oh, c'mon! If you're going to be my fake girlfriend, you might as well meet my fake family. Er...wait. No, I mean meet my real family. My family is real."

"I'll think about it." Weiss polishes off her meal and waves for the waiter to pack up Ruby's lunch. "I've already paid for everything, and I'll be in the car when you finish." She stands up. "Don't bother offering to pay your half."

Ruby...couldn't. She nearly yanks at her hair, groaning, "Seriously, Weiss. I don't even get you. Why are you doing this?"

Weiss just looks at her and walks away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby runs into fake love trouble in her fake relationship with Weiss. Good thing that all she has to do is apply some fake advice to help get back into Weiss' fake good graces.
> 
> Relationships are so confusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delays for those of you still with me. I got into another story, which is going to be my main one, while this one will get occasionally updated. Thanks for reading!

Weiss meets her friends. 

Weiss does not like her friends.

Ruby invites her one night to an outing when Ruby gets the brilliant idea of introducing them, so Weiss can finally understand whom she’s referring to when she mentions them. They crowd around a cheap, wooden table in an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant with plastic banners with Japanese character and a small fan at their table instead of air conditioning. Weiss sits between Ruby and Ren, because he was the only other person she would tolerate.

Ren chews thoughtfully on some nigiri before swallowing. He glances at Weiss. “How is the food?”

Weiss pokes at her lukewarm sashimi, the rubbery octopus roll that nearby broke her jaw when she was chewing it. She scowls at the glare Yang is shooting her from across the table. “Better than the company.”

Yang jerks forwards, only restrained by Nora and Jaune grabbing her arms from either side. “You want to say that to my face?”

Weiss gives her a strange look. “I just did.”

“Guys, we’re here to welcome Weiss to our group, not intimidate her.” Ruby jumps in. Weiss crosses her arms and scowls deeper. She doesn’t exactly look scared.

Nora snorts, “Ruby, she’s here, because you asked. We don’t have to be nice to Schnee booty you’re banging.” She squints at Ruby. “And when did you like girls?”

“Well, I whole-heartedly welcome her as a prospective member to our group.” Jaune raises his glass, smiling so brightly that Ruby’s slightly blinded. He sighs, “It’s too bad Pyrrha’s running late, but she’ll be here any minute. She probably would like to meet you.”

Weiss sniffs. “I fail to see what benefit meeting yet another one of you would—would—“ She looks up, mouth dropping open as her face turns red.

Ruby follows her gaze to see Pyrrha arriving with a huff, red hair tied up in a messy ponytail, the cut of her beige coat fitting her snugly. “I’m sorry I’m late,” Pyrrha pants as everyone looks at her. She ruefully takes off her hair tie and shakes out her hair. “I look like a mess, don’t I?”

“Nope!” Nora raises her beer bottle, grinning. “Hot as always.”

Pyrrha blushes. “Thank you.” She glances at Jaune who scoots over to make room for her. “Do you think so too?”

“Well, of course. You’re as cute as the first time I met you when we were four and you had mud in your hair after diving into some bushes to avoid a crow.” He grins. 

Pyrrha sighs, head dropping, and she makes her way to sit beside him. When she’s settled, she glances up and spots a red-faced Weiss still slightly gaping at her. “Oh, who is this?”

“Weiss!” Weiss jumps up and bangs her knees against the underside of the table, going redder than Pyrrha’s hair. “I am Weiss Schnee.”

Pyrrha’s eyes light up. “Oh, so you’re Ruby’s girlfriend that I’ve heard so much about?”

Weiss pauses. Her shoulders drop. “Right.”

Pyrrha and everyone else looks expectantly at Ruby, who gets a sharp elbow from Weiss. “OH. Right.” She clears her throat. “Weiss, this is Pyrrha. Pyrrha, Weiss.”

Pyrrha holds out a gloved hand after shrugging off her coat, showing off her strong shoulders in a cute halter top. “Pleased to meet you.”

Weiss nods once, shakes Pyrrha’s hand, and sits back down, staring. The silence is kind of awkward.

“Well!” Ruby claps her hands together and plays the part of the connector between Pyrrha asking genuine questions about Weiss’ business background while Weiss seems awed by Pyrrha’s superstar status among the university athletes. The evening ends with Yang and Nora taking a couple more snipes at Weiss, who’s too caught-up talking with Pyrrha to notice.

Once everyone leaves for the night, including Weiss who gives Ruby a curt goodbye, still looking starstruck, Ruby and her sister walk home. Yang scowls down at the ground with her hands in her pocket, and Ruby sighs, knowing that whatever her sister had in her mind, she was trying to hold it in until they got home to shout it at her. 

Ruby barely takes off her coat and make it to the living room table when Yang breaks.

Yang snaps, “You’re not supposed to let your girlfriend drool over other women.”

Ruby whines and sinks her head to the table. Dating was so hard. “Why? She’s a fake girlfriend.”

“Because if you’re going to trick people into believing it’s real, letting that go is going to raise eyebrows.” Yang crosses her arms. “Especially if she runs out on you with someone else.”

Ruby sighs, “We should really talk about Blak—“

“NO.”

“FINE.” Ruby jumps up, frustrated. “I don’t get you! One moment, you’re totally against Weiss, and the next, you’re telling me to play into it more. Which is it?”

“I don’t know! I’m complex. Just tell your fake girlfriend to stop ogling Pyrrha in public.” Yang thrusts a finger in Ruby’s face before pausing. “Oh, and tell her if she touches you in any way, she’s dead.”

Ruby dutifully relays Yang’s message to Weiss the next day a niche cafe Weiss goes to that has a lot of French maids for some reason. 

Weiss snorts. “She’s not the boss of me.”

“No, but try not to irritate her for, like, five minutes?” Ruby gulps down her hot chocolate with a mini mountain of whipped cream. She licks some off the corner of her lips and catches Weiss staring at her. “What?”

Weiss continues staring before slowly shaking her head as if waking up from a dream. “Your sister—“

“Grows on you.”’ Ruby adds , defensively. “It...may just take a while.” Or never in Weiss’ case.

Weiss presses a hand to her temple. She looks like she has a severe headache. 

Ruby frowns. “Do you actually like Pyrrha? I could see if—“

“No. Not when she already clearly has a thing for that blond boy.”

“Jaune.”

“I’m aware of his name.” She remarks dryly. She pauses and casually glances out the window. “So, what do you think of her?”

“Pyrrha?” Weiss meets her eyes and nods. “She’s great.”

“No, I mean—“ Weiss sits back and lets out a long exhale. “What do you think of her...appearance?”

Huh? “Oh, that’s great too!”

“No, Ruby!” Weiss growls, hands tightening into fists. “Do you find her attractive?”

Ruby frowns. “I suppose?” Pyrrha could benchpress Yang. Pyrrha HAS benchpressed Yang. “She’s tough and strong. Her hair’s nice.”

Weiss covers her face and swears under her breath. “Do you find her more attractive than me?”

“No.” Ruby frowns. “I don’t find anyone attractive.” At Weiss’ sudden stiffness, she hastily adds, “I never have.”

Weiss gives her a strange look, something tremulous beneath it. “Never?”

Ruby shakes her head. It’s strange. She could recognize people’s good looks in an intellectual, cognizant kind of way, but she didn’t feel that bone-deep attraction Yang had when she saw someone good-looking walk by. Ruby knew that Blake was beautiful, Yang was considered hot, Pyrrha gorgeous, and even Weiss was ridiculously pretty beyond belief with her silver-blonde hair and sharp, aristocratic features. Jaune was goofy and handsome enough to Pyrrha, and Ren was almost as pretty as Weiss. She just didn’t feel it.

“Earth to Ruby?” Weiss waves a hand in front of her face. Ruby snaps her gaze to her. Weiss looks sad briefly before she smooths it over. “I suppose that will make the transaction of this relationship smoother.” She fidgets with the handle of her tea cup. “Yes, best to keep it clean,” she mutters, turning her face away.

“We can still be friends afterwards!”

Weiss sighs, “That’s not it, Ruby.” She pushes her chair back. “I’ll grab the bill. I need to head back anyway.”

“Huh? We just got here.”

“Yes, well...“ Weiss walks away. She doesn’t look back. “I’m a busy woman.”

Weiss doesn’t call her for three days, which bothers Ruby more than a fake girlfriend should. When she texts Weiss, she merely gets a curt, “Busy” with no further response.

Yang shrugs when Ruby brings it up to her, and Velvet looks lost when Ruby moans about it in class. She would call her father, but Taiyang doesn’t even know about her fake relationship yet because he lives in the boonies with no TV and radio, otherwise, he’d be over faster than Uncle Qrow runs away from AA.

Ruby nearly tears out her hair as she wanders out of class and into the streets around her buildings, having a received a text from Yang to meet at a nearby cafe for lunch. She really needs to find a solution to this Weiss thing that won’t blow up in her face. Ruby needs someone practical, someone sensible. Blake would be amazing right now with her empathetic listening and her ability to cut to the core of things. But where would she even find Blake who ran out Yang some time ago. It’s not like Ruby could wander around campus between the buildings and shops and to hope to find a dark-haired faunus with golden eyes. Blake could be anywhere. She could be anyone! She could even be that Blake-looking woman who sits frozen when Ruby comes around a coffee shop with the woman wearing a white mask pushed up from her face like a visor and those super-sweet mango-dragonfruit lemonades that Blake used to always drink—wait.

Ruby approaches her. “Blake?”

The woman pulls down her White Fang mask onto her face in response as if a Grimm face would attract less attention.

Ruby slams her hands on the glass patio table. “Blake, I know it’s you! And if you try to to disappear on me, I’ll tell Yang that you’re here right now!” she warns as Blake tenses, a bit of her shadow already appearing. “I need your brain power right now.”

Blake sighs, “Ruby, I’m not in the best position to say anything.” She gestures at her mask. Ruby points at other students walking nearby with cheap, plastic copies of the Grimm version the White Fang wear. It’s become a fashion trend now.

Blake hisses, ears flattening against her head, “Hipsters.”

“Seriously, you are the only one who actually gives good advice.” Ruby pauses. “Besides Pyrrha.” But Pyrhha is really good at sports advice and school advice. Love advice, she’s clearly hopeless at if Jaune is any indication with how she practically spells it out for him, and Jaune walks around like he has romance dyslexia. “Anyway, it’s about a girl.”

“Weiss Schnee.” Blake’s lip curls. “It’s all over Twitter.” She holds out her phone to Ruby and swipes down as the media blasts out tweets about Weiss’ rumored lover, Booty Bows. “They think you’re a rapper from the eastside.” 

A rapper would be cooler than a broke-ass student. Anyway, Ruby, stop getting distracted. “Okay, I know you may not like her, but you are literally the only one who can help. If you don’t, I’ll have to ask Yang.” 

Blake sighs and drops her face into her hand. After a moment, she pushes her mask up into her hair. “Get a drink then. We might be here for a while.”

Ruby quickly grabs a white chocolate latte with extra whipped cream and goes over everything that’s happened since Winter abducted her in her limo. “So, yeah. I have a fake girlfriend to piss off her homophobic dad.”

“Which isn’t working, since he’s using the publicity to drive sales with politically ‘progressive gimmicks,’” Blake sighs. “He’s even giving newly out lesbians a toaster.”

Oh, man. Yang would totally love a toaster. Wait, Ruby, focus. “So, what do I do about her?” She pauses as another thought hit her. “Wait, where were you all this time? Why did you leave Yang?”

“I didn’t--” Blake inhales, pushing away her drink slightly. “If I’m going to help you, I’m going to ask that you don’t ask about that. This isn’t the time nor place, and I can’t give you more info without putting you in danger. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to discuss this anymore.” She says, quietly, “For the record, I never really left her.”

Ruby weighs her options of pursuing her line of questions versus getting sound counsel on what to do with Weiss. “Oke doke. Won’t press anymore.” She sighs and slumps against her chair, covering her face with one hand. “Weiss is just giving off such weird signals. One day, she’s trying to spend time with me, buy me lunch, tell me how to dress better, and randomly touching me, staring at me when she thinks I’m not looking, and constantly texting me to aks about my day. Then when I tell her I’ve never been attracted to anyone, she disappears!”

Blake sighs, “Weiss is gay.”

Ruby throws up her hands. “I knew that!”

“No, Ruby.” Blake leans forward, palms flat on the table, eyes intense. “Weiss is gay for you.”

“What does that even me—“ 

Oh. 

Wait.

Ruby’s having a thought.

This is a really hard one. 

Blake rubs her temples, ears flickering irritably. “You cannot be that dense.”

Ruby frowns. “But why?” How? But mostly why. Her brain runs into a roadblock with the phrase, “Gay for Ruby.”

Blake shrugs, slipping back against the chair. “You’ll have to ask her that.”

Hi, Weiss. Why are you gay for me?

That’ll go well.

“Listen, there’s a super simple way to resolve this. You just need to—“ Blake’s eyes flick over Ruby’s shoulder, and she freezes. She instantly disappears into a column of smoke, a shadowy imprint of her form lingering before dissipating.

Ruby slams her hands on the table. “What the hell, Blake? You were just about to tell me—“

Yang appears beside her, looking distraught. “Did you say Blake? Was she here?”

Uh…

Yang’s gaze falls on the glass Blake left behind, the sweet pinkish-purple concoction half-drunk with droplets of condensation cold to the touch on the outside still.

Ruby grabs at Blake’s glass. “Nope! I was just drinking for two!” She chugs both the mango-dragon fruit and her white chocolate latte down at the same time. Ruby quickly finds herself throwing up in a nearby bush.

Yang stands behind her, one hand on Ruby’s back. “You feel better there?”

Ruby wipes weakly at her mouth. “Uh-huh.”

“Right.” Yang takes a breath. “So, was that Blak—“

“Weiss is gay for me, and I don’t know what to do!” Ruby flails.

“Weiss is gay, period.” Yang crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one leg. “Huh. You mean she actually likes you? Like romantically?”

“Or it could be sexual—“

“Nuh-uh. Romantically, it is.” Yang grimaces. “That makes this situation worse then. Worse for Weiss, I mean.” She shrugs. “Cause you don’t feel anything back, right?”

“Well…”

“RIGHT?”

“I just don’t want to hurt her feelings.” Ruby holds up her hands.

Yang snorts. “The Ice Queen probably doesn’t have any.” She pauses. “Except the desire to bang you.” Yang thinks about what she just said and turns green.

“Yang, what should I do?”

“Let her go, and find someone who isn’t a Schnee wanting in your pants.” Yang pauses and shudders again.

“Stop thinking about it!”

“No! Forget about it, Ruby! Just be glad you have an easy way out of a relationship you didn’t even want.” Yang helps her straighten up and walks her home. “Life’s simpler that way,” she says before tensing her jaw and glancing away.

—

Ruby does not stop thinking about it.

When Yang heads off to kickboxing, Ruby sits on their couch with Zwei running around as she ponders on who to ask for sound advice—someone grounded, logical, with love experience, and who could give her wise perspective for a favourable outcome. An idea hits her, and the answer was so obvious that it was silly she didn’t see it before. She jumps to her feet, yanking out her phone. “I know just the person.” 

Nora’s over at Ruby’s place in ten minutes flat. Ren is still trying to park the car in the street. “Spill!”

“Uh...Weiss actually has feelings for me, and I don’t know how to deal.” Ruby rubs the back of her neck. “That’s it.”

“Hmm…” Nora sits back, balancing a pencil under her nose. “Well, you clearly came to the right person for advice. What can Love Guru Nora do for you?” She furrows her brows, frowning and dropping her pencil. “Dammit!”

A knock sounds at the door, and Ruby gets up to let Ren in. 

Ren holds up a bucket of ice cream and a box of cookies in the other. “I heard Nora say you were having relationship troubles. I came prepared for both a good and bad scenario.”

“Oh. Well, I’m more puzzled than anything. It’s like my fake relationship half turned into a real one.”

Ren raises an eyebrow. He gives Ruby the box and stashes the ice cream in the freezer. Ruby eats the cookies in confusion.

From the tiny loveseat, Nora snaps her fingers. “I know! We’ll fake seduce your girlfriend to make up your fake relationship, so you guys can fake get back together!”

Ruby stammers. “Wouldn’t that just be playing with her feelings?”

“Nope! Fake relationship, so fake feelings! Logic!” Nora jams a finger into her head. “Ow!”

Ren is stone-faced. “I don’t think we should do this.”

“Hear that? Ren’s in.” Nora wraps an arm around his shoulder and smacks his chest as Ren sighs. “So, Ruby, are you in, or are you going to be that person?”

Ruby blinks, hands coming up to her mouth. “No! I don’t want to be that person!”

“Good! We’ll see you at the Oobleck hiking trails tomorrow morning at sunrise! Bring Weiss!” Nora swivels around before pausing, still in the middle of a gesture. “Oh, and just in case, bring bear spray.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby takes Weiss hiking as Nora suggested. Predictably, it backfires.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what's nice about writing crack? You don't have to worry about logic.

Weiss scowls and crosses her arms over chest she surveys Oobleck hiking trail winding into the mountain. “Why did you bring me here?”

Ruby has no idea. “To spend time together!” It’s been so long since we last had a...uh...fake date.” Truthfully, Ruby spammed Weiss’ number for two days until Weiss texted back with a, “GODDAMMIT. FINE,” and Ruby’s still not sure why Weiss just didn’t block her. 

Weiss crosses her arms, scowling. “This better be quick then.”

A six kilometre hike would be quick for Ruby. She wasn’t sure about Weiss.

The heiress is dressed in brand-new hiking boots, blue shorts, a white and black cap and a lightweight jacket with a small backpack perfectly suited for walking up mountains. If Ruby didn’t know any better, she’d think Weiss stayed up all night to research what to take when hiking. “Well?”

Ruby nods, taking the lead up a gentle slope through green ferns, brushes, and staggeringly tall trees. In the front pocket of her hoodie lies a can of bear spray, like Nora mentioned, but Ruby grows worried that she might actually need it. 

She takes her mind off of it by glancing at Weiss, who huffs and scowls as she looks down, oddly pretty with her white hair contrasting the black underside of her cap. She seems to waver between getting closer to Ruby and keeping to her side of the trail, and when Ruby moves closer, Weiss steps away. Ruby sighs.

At some point, Weiss stops and squints, looking around. “Isn’t this the trail where all those people disappeared a few weeks ago? Something about a gigantic bear around here?”

Nora wouldn’t take them to a hike infested with man-eating bears. “Nah, must be some other trail.”

“Ugh, this is pointless. What is the use in hiking? I could be exercising more efficiently at my gym.” Weiss throws her hands up.

“It’s supposed to be fun. It’s scenic.” Ruby gestures at their surroundings, a mosaic of greens against a blue sky and a dirt path. “It’s supposed to be relaxing and safe, and--what the heck is that?” She points at something dark dangling from Weiss’ waist.

Weiss shifts, showing a taser clipped in her belt. “In case we need it.” 

Ruby stares. “For what?” She immediately gets distracted by the glint of silver at Weiss’ collar, and she peers closer. There’s a tiny necklace hanging around her neck in the shape of a rapier. Ruby gasps, “Weiss, that’s so pretty.” And kind of obsessive. 

Weiss glances sharply down at the necklace and covers it with one hand. “Thanks,” she replies, curtly. She strides past Ruby down the trail. “Well, come on. Let’s get this stupid hike over with.”

Ruby shakes her head as she follows. “If you disliked it so much, why did you even say yes?”

Weiss whirls on her, and Ruby instinctively cowers. “You would not leave me alone and messaged me every five minutes to beg for me to join you, because you said no one else would. So, here we are at seven in the morning, and we still haven’t been any sort of productive!”

Ruby holds her hands placatingly. “T-there’s a pretty lake at the end of the trail near the top. I...uh... thought it would match your eyes?” 

Weiss glares before her expression breaks, and she sighs. “I don’t know why I thought you’d…” She steps away, turning her face away as Ruby feels something waver in her chest. She reaches out for Weiss’ wrist when a sudden sound catches her attention from behind.

Ruby turns and frowns at something human-shaped and brown peeking behind a tree. It waves for her to come over, and Ruby hesitates between an emotional moment and Nora in some kind of costume. “Uh...gotta pee!” She runs off before Weiss can respond, and the figure disappears into the brush. Ruby follows her a little ways in until she stops before a quivering bush.

“Pst, It’s me.” Nora pops her head out, wearing an awful bear suit that looks really fake. Her orange hair is sticking out from under the hood. “Isn’t it super swag? Okay, I’m going to make a bunch of noise, then jump out and scare Little Miss Schnee over there, and she’ll leap into your arms and you guys fake fall in love.”

“Wait, why did I need bear spray?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Nora says, impatiently. “You’re going to pretend to use it on me, and I fall over. Got your part?”

“Umm…”

“See you soon!” Nora yanks her head back and zips into the forest, running very fast for someone wearing a mascot suit.

Weiss calls out behind here, sounding irritated. “Are you done?”

Ruby starts. “Yup! All done. Just wiping with some…” She peers at a nearby plant with three ragged leaves. “Poison ivy.”

...

Ruby practically leaps back onto the trail with how fast she’s bolting back. She freaks, checking over her hands, which are thankfully covered by her hoodie’s long sleeves. Weiss looks at her like she’s an idiot before shaking her head and continuing on. 

Ruby stumbles after, still checking her arms for rashes. “So...umm...what have you been up to?”

“Plotting to destroy my father’s family-friendly image to expose him as the bigoted snake he is.” Weiss looks ahead. “You know. The usual.”

Huh. “How is Whitey?”

Weiss stops and looks at her. “Who?”

Ruby sighs. “Weiss, let’s just talk, since no one’s around to listen. I’m sorry if I said something to offend you or hurt your feelings. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Weiss glances away. “...you didn’t do anything.” Something crosses her face, and she looks away. “I meant it when I said I was busy--”

“But that wasn’t the case before. What changed?”

Weiss’ jaw tenses, but she doesn’t make eye contact. In the distance, Ruby hears bushes ruffling up ahead and assume it’s Nora continuing on with the plan. “Look, it’s clearly bothering you, and if I’m going to be your fake girlfriend,” Ruby step forwards, and Weiss looks slightly alarmed, “or even just a real friend, I would want to know if you’re hurting and how I can help.” She reaches out to hold Weiss’ hands, and Weiss swallows. “Can you tell me what’s going on? I want to hear what you’re feeling.”

Weiss glances up, throat working. “I--”

A crash booms ahead, and the girls leap apart. There’s something coming towards them, and they tense, shifting back in alarm until Ruby notices there’s something running on two legs in a very familiar costume. Ruby relaxes and raises her hands to her mouth, playing her part. “Oh, no! Weiss, look! A bear!”

Weiss peers closely before giving her a strange look. “It’s someone running towards us in a bear suit.”

“No, Weiss. It’s an actual--” Ruby squints at the roar of something in the distance before a massive brown blur runs out of the words towards Nora, spittle flying from its mouth as its claws leave massives gorges in the earth below.

Nora screams while bolting past, her hood half torn off, “Oh, fuck! it’s a real bear!”

Ruby takes a moment to process.

Oh. 

Ruby joins Weiss and Nora as they run screaming down a mountainside with a bear barrelling behind them. 

Weiss pants, not looking back. “Bears bluff charge, don’t they? How long has it been chasing you?”

“Ten minutes!’ Nora speeds up.

Oh, shit.

Nora points a finger backwards at her. “And no running ahead! We’re a team! We die together!”

Ruby glances back. “What are we supposed to do about that?”

Weiss hisses. “Let’s hide!” She yanks Ruby and Nora off the trails into the trees and brush, dragging them quite a ways in before shoving them into some bushes. “Don’t make a sound!”

Nora clamps her hands over her face, and Ruby pushes herself as low to the ground as possible to avoid being seen. She scrambles to yank her bear spray out of her pocket as the loud crash of something running through the woods reaches them. She peeks through the hole in the brush and bites down on her lip, muffling her cry as a massive bear sniffs at the air and steps towards them, its head larger than Ruby’s. Weiss tenses and slowly pulls out her taser from her belt, holding it slightly in front.

The bear stumbles forth, still sniffing as it examines trees and the ground. It walks up next to their bush, staring into it for so long, Ruby’s sure it’s found them as she tightens her grip on the can of spray. She’s going to have to use it the moment it lets its guard down. She invited Weiss out here, and she wasn’t not going to let her friends get eaten by a bear, even if it was looking like it was losing interest, loitering around the bush before turning its head. Ruby lifts her can.

Weiss exhales in relief. “Good, It’s just about to leave and—RUBY, NO!”

Ruby screams and hurls herself towards the bear, startling it as she pops out of the brush, her spray spewing a white cone of pain and anger into the bear’s eyes.

The bear roars, rearing onto its hind legs and slaps at its face in agony, thrashing and smashing the bark off of trees and nearly trampling Ruby. Weiss and Nora dive to the side, the taser falling away from Weiss and bouncing near Nora as the bear ignores them and heads for Ruby.

“The spray only made it madder!” Ruby scampers up towards a cliff bluff as the blinded and pissed off bear slams into the tree trunks behind her.

“You’re not supposed to use it as it’s leaving!” Weiss shrieks from behind the bear as Ruby scrambles to the rocks and pulls herself up like an agitated spider. She sighs in relief as she bounds up onto a high ledge until she looks back down.

“Oh my god, BEARS CAN CLIMB?!” Ruby tries to scramble up faster as the bear clambers after her.

Gigantic black glyphs appear in the air around her, spinning, and Ruby glances around, confused before she spots Weiss gracefully leaping from airborne glyph to glyph in a beautiful backflip, tapping on her miniature rapier hanging by her throat. 

“Wow, Weiss is pretty agile,” Ruby mutters to herself as Weiss leaps to a white glyph near her and dives past, snatching Ruby off of the cliff wall just as a massive paw swats at one of her sneakers. 

Weiss bounds towards a thick branch high above the ground, her aim too high. Ruby grabs Weiss by the waist and spins her, tilting both of their trajectories to hit slightly lower before Ruby twists and lands them perfectly on the branch with a front flip. “Ta-da!”

“Don’t EVER do that without telling me again.” Weiss clutches at Ruby’s jacket, knuckles and face white. She pauses as Ruby steadies them into a crouch. “That...that was pretty cool though,” she begrudgingly admits.

Ruby rubs the back of her neck. “Yeah, I had lots of practice being launched into the air.”

Weiss snaps her head towards her, opening her mouth to ask something. Their moment is interrupted by the massive brown bear lumbering over and starting to climb the trunk. Ruby and Weiss watch it climb. Ruby says, “Right. The climbing thing.”

“I never thought this would be how it ends.” Weiss scowls. “I always thought it’d be a murder-suicide.” And Ruby’s not sure if she’s joking, because Weiss doesn’t look like she is.

A voice booms from a ways off a few trees away. The girls look over to see Nora calling out, feet planted firmly in the undergrowth. “Hey, you stupid bear! Look at me!” Nora holds up Weiss’ taser, a triumphant look in her eyes. “Look at what I’m going to do.” She jams the taser into her chest, the shot going off, and she groans before folding over onto the ground.

Everyone, including the bear, watches her curl up on the forest floor in silence.

“What was that supposed to--” Weiss cuts herself off as the bear approaches Nora. “Oh, great. Now, it’s going to eat her.”

The bear sniffs at the prone girl, batting at her as she rolls into a clearing. 

Weiss’ eyes go wide, and she nearly stands up on the thick branch. “Hey, are you still alive?” she barks from her place in the tree.

“It’s okay,” Ruby says, quietly.

“Why would it be?” Weiss snaps. “She just went and--” She stops when laughter catches her attention, and she looks at where Nora landed.

Nora rises and cackles, electricity crackling around her head and shoulders. She picks up a log nearby as thick as her trunk and runs forward into the bear, who backs up, startled. She swings the log into the bear, and it flies into a glyph Weiss summons before bouncing high overhead and somewhere in the far treetops, groaning in confusion the entire way.

“Yeah! Fuck you, bear! I can kick your ass anytime!” Nora jumps up and down and poses, pointing in the bear’s direction before falling over, grin still on her face.

Weiss and Ruby stare. Ruby pipes up. “We...we should probably help her off the mountain.”

They arrive at the base of the trail close to mid-morning, a few other hikers passing by them with strange looks on their faces as Weiss and Ruby drag a half-conscious Nora to the paved road in front of them. Ruby unwraps Nora’s arm from her shoulder and steps forward to examine Nora’s slightly dilated eyes. “You okay?”

“Yup! Peachy-keen!” Nora grins, straightening up. She sighs, outfit ripped with twigs in her hair and one arm around Weiss’ shoulders one of which she pats.. “All right, Schnee. You were pretty bad-ass. You won me over.” She promptly keels over backwards.

Ruby exchanges glances with Weiss. Once Weiss calls an ambulance and waits with Ruby to see Nora safely taken away by grumbling paramedics, Ruby phones Ren to let him know what happened. “...and now Nora’s in the hospital.”

He lets out the longest sigh she’s ever heard. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll go right now.” He hangs up shortly, and Ruby looks around to see Weiss leaning slightly against a massive fallen log, almost sitting on it with a thoughtful expression. Ruby slowly makes her way over. “Thanks for waiting with me, and sorry about the...the uh...bear thing.”

“You’re welcome. It was a minor thing.” Weiss shrugs while Ruby wonders how being chased by a bear was minor anywhere.

“Yeah, well, you didn’t have to wait with me.” Ruby sits on the log close enough to Weiss to touch her but far enough that it was a comfortable talking distance. “I know you’re a busy woman.”

“Yes.” Weiss turns her face away. “Well, I made time for you.”

Ruby smiles. “Thanks, Weiss. That’s very nice of you.”

“I can be nicer than people think,” Weiss replies, stiffly.

“I can see that.” Ruby glances over to Weiss’s hand on the log between and places her own on Weiss’ without thinking. She squeezes and hears Weiss’ sharp inhale, though the other girl doesn’t pull away. “I’m sorry about the café a while ago, and if I said something to hurt you.”

Weiss is silent before she lets out a sigh. “It wasn’t you. I just had...unrealistic expectations.” She goes quiet, looking sad before she wipes the expression away. “But I wouldn’t mind being friends with you.” She looks up, and there’s the faintest of smiles on her face with even that little transforming it. Weiss looks so pretty. “It has been fun in a different way.”

She turns her hand over and squeezes Ruby’s.

Ruby’s heart skips a beat.


End file.
